


What I'm Here For

by Anichibi



Series: Ani's Bad Things Happen Bingo [2]
Category: Tales of the Abyss
Genre: Bad Things Happen Bingo, Comfort, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-18
Updated: 2019-09-18
Packaged: 2020-10-21 00:55:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20684822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anichibi/pseuds/Anichibi
Summary: Prompt: trying not to cry





	What I'm Here For

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: trying not to cry

"Luke, what're you doing still up?" Guy asked as he lept over the fencing around Sheridan's inn and onto the ground below. The redhead in question spun around, his blade falling and loudly hitting the ground, making him flinch.

"I was just, uh, going for a walk." Luke was never good at lying. The blonde noted Luke refusing to meet his eyes.

"With your sword in your hand? Don't tell me you were out fighting or something." Guy joked. Luke opened his mouth to speak, but closed it without a word. The redhead instead bent down and picked up his sword, his gaze lingering on the blade before returning it to the sheath on his back. "Luke, are you hiding something?"

"Wha-No way! I'm not hiding anything!"

"Yeah, and I'm the emperor of Malkuth. Is something bothering you?" Guy asked.

"No, nothing at all." Again, Luke's eyes wandered elsewhere. He rubbed his arm, a bandage having been wrapped around a cut a soldier from Daath had made. Tear and Natalia had been too burnt out to heal him properly.

"Is your arm bothering you? Does it hurt?" Guy took a few steps closer to inspect Luke's arm.

"No, it's fine. Just a bit numb, I guess?" Luke took a step back, putting some distance between himself and the other. Guy was close enough to see that Luke's eyes were a bit red and watery.

"Are you sure nothing's bothering you? You know you can tell me anything."

"I know, I know! And I'm fine! I just want to go to bed, okay?" Luke's voice was a bit strained, a few small tears he was clearly trying to hold back slipping from his eyes. He quickly wiped them away, taking deep breaths to calm himself. "I'm fine, okay?" He repeated. The shakiness of his voice said otherwise. "I was just...thinking about things." He trailed off, staring at his open palm, suddenly lost in a daze.

"Care to share your thoughts?" Guy requested. Luke stared blankly at the ground before squeezing his eyes shut. His nails dug into his palm, his fist shaking slightly.

"It's... It's nothing you need to worry about. I'm sorry for worrying you." Luke sighed and began walking over to the stair up to the inn. Guy stepped in his way. "Guy, please, I just want to-"

"Luke. Let me help you. There's obviously something bothering you and I want to know what it is. If you're worried about me telling the others, I promise it'll just be between us. Alright?" Luke stood speechless, staring at his best friend in surprise. After several seconds, Luke nodded in defeat. "Alright. Now, what's wrong?"

"I...I keep getting nightmares about all the people I killed. That feeling of blood on my hands, the fact  _I_ did that, I just...I can't get it out of my mind. And especially since..." He didn't need to finish his sentence to be understood. He bit his lip and another tear slipped from his eyes. It was quickly wiped away and Luke rubbed his eyes. "I'm sorry, I should be going to sleep. I'll see you in the morning." Luke again tried to walk past, but Guy pulled him into a hug. The redhead squirmed in protest, trying to push himself away. Guy didn't budge. "Come on, I don't need this, I'm not a kid, dammit!" He cried in protest. He kept struggling to get away, his eyes stinging as tears he refused to let out continued to build up.

"Luke, you don't need to keep hiding things from us.  _Especially_ your emotions. We won't judge. Okay?" Guy rubbed Luke's back, and the other slowly relaxed, but never stopped fighting the tears threatening to spill over.

"I'm  _not_ hiding my feelings, dammit." Luke stubbornly argued. Even still, a single tear slipped out again. He couldn't wipe it away this time.

Guy sighed and pat his back. "It's alright to cry, Luke. You know I won't judge you for it." Luke bit his lip again. His eyes were stinging from the tears that had built up. Slowly, he hugged Guy tightly and hid his face in his shoulder, trying to breath and calm down. Tears started streaming from his eyes and he didn't fight them anymore, crying into the other's shoulder. His body shook with each sob and gasp, and Guy said nothing, simply rubbing his back. "There you go, you're alright. You just let it all out now."

Luke cried for what felt like hours, and when he had finally calmed, he stood up straight and wiped the tears off his damp cheeks, smiling sheepishly. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"You don't have to apologise, Luke. I'm just glad you didn't insist on being stubborn about it." Guy ruffled the redhead's hair, getting a chuckle out of him. "Now, come on. It's pretty late. We should head to bed." Guy turned and started making his way to the stairs up to the inn.

"Yeah." Luke watched the other before following him. "Oh, Guy?"

"Yeah?" The blonde looked back questioningly.

"Thanks. I...didn't really realize how much I needed that."

Guy smiled at the other. "No problem, Luke. That's what I'm here for."


End file.
